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Relationships between altitudinal gradient and plant carbon isotope composition of grassland communities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

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Abstract

Foliar and root carbon isotope composition (δ 13C) of grassland communities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, was obtained by the biomass weighting method and direct measurement. We investigated the characteristics and altitudinal patterns of foliar and root δ 13C and determined which environmental factors influenced foliar δ 13C most. Foliar δ 13C of alpine steppe was significantly higher than that of alpine meadow and temperate steppe. For alpine meadow, root δ 13C was significantly higher than of foliar δ 13C. Foliar δ 13C increased with altitude at an average rate of 0.60‰ km−1 for the whole grassland ecosystem. This rate was lower than that at species level. However, there were no significant relationships between root δ 13C and altitude. Atmospheric pressure was a more important factor than temperature and precipitation in its influence on the altitudinal pattern of foliar δ 13C at the community level.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    YongChun Zhou, JiangWen Fan, HuaPing Zhong & WenYan Zhang

  2. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    YongChun Zhou

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  1. YongChun Zhou
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  2. JiangWen Fan
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  3. HuaPing Zhong
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Correspondence to JiangWen Fan.

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Zhou, Y., Fan, J., Zhong, H. et al. Relationships between altitudinal gradient and plant carbon isotope composition of grassland communities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. Sci. China Earth Sci. 56, 311–320 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-012-4498-9

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